Rotatable building structure

ABSTRACT

A rotatable structure supported upon a stationary base. Bearing means support the rotatable structure which structure includes a central core structure supported by one of the bearing races. The inner ends of radially disposed floor and roof trusses are supported by the core structure in a manner avoiding undesirable radial loading of the bearing races. Upright tension rods interconnect the outer end segments of the floor and roof trusses with relative movement permitted between the trusses and the rod ends to accomplish the transfer of floor loads to the rigid roof structure thereby avoiding radial loads to the bearing races. A cylindrical access housing of the building structure extends centrally downward through the bearing races and may be provided with an elevator or stairway for a building entrance.

United States Patent [191 Kaiser I ROTATABLE BUILDING STRUCTURE Heinz W. Kaiser, Rt. 1, Box 248, Eugene, Oreg. 97404 I22] Filed: May 6, 1974 [21 Appl. No.: 467,404

[76] Inventor:

[52] US. Cl 52/65; 52/73 [51] Int. Cl. E043 l/346 [581 Field of Search 52/73, 65, 83, 29, 31

156] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,396,502 8/1968 Contevita 52/126 3,408,777 11/1968 Ghirclli 52/73 3,599,378 8/1971 Kachnic 52/65 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 404,168 6/1966 Switzerland 52/65 1,484,083 12/1968 Germany 52/73 1,186,367 1970 United Kingdom 52/73 Primary ExaminerJohn E. Murtagh Attorney, Agent, or Firm.lames D. Givnan, Jr.

[ 5 7 ABSTRACT A rotatable structure supported upon a stationary base. Bearing means support the rotatable structure which structure includes a central core structure supported by one of the bearing races. The inner ends of radially disposed floor and roof trusses are supported by the core structure in a manner avoiding undesirable radial loading of the bearing races. Upright tension rods interconnect the outer end segments of the floor and roof trusses with relative movement permitted between the trusses and the rod ends to accomplish the transfer of floor loads to the rigid roof structure thereby avoiding radial loads to the bearing races. A cylindrical access housing of the building structure extends centrally downward through the bearing races and may be provided with an elevator or stairway for a building entrance.

8 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEU SEF I 6 m5 'SHEET1L1E3 1 ROTATABLE BUILDING STRUCTURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention. .concems arotatable building structure, and w more, particularly concerns a building structure directed toward I avoiding undesirable asyrnmetrical bearing loads. i v

Rotating structures have been utilized in the past .to a limitedlextent as homes restaurants, display buildings, etc., and typically are attractively elevated from the ground surface. Commonly,., rotating structures include a. stationary core or. central structure .having bearing components for cooperation with additional bearing components carried by the rotatable portion of the building. The bearings, interposed between moving and stationary structures, are subjected to severe loads resulting from asymmetrical live loads imparted to the rotatable building structure with bearingloads being applied to the bearings along, radially orientated vectors. Such loads can deform bearing races causing a binding action to occur and,'at the least, result in accelerated bearing wear. Where multiple bearing structures are used such asymmetrical loading will result in radially directed loads being applied in one radial direction to a first bearing assembly and in an opposite radial direction to a second bearing assembly, both of said loads tending to deform the bearing races. b

The problem of rotatably supporting a building structure on a central stationary coreis complicated by the fact that all building structures are subjected to uneven live loading. Additionally, an elevated rotatable building structure is particularly susceptible to wind loading.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is embodied within the building structure and supporting bearing- 1 arrangement which conjointly function to prevent undesirable loads being imparted to the bearing components. A first bearing race is supported in a stationary manner by a fabricated support structure while a second bearing race is associated with the rotatable building structure. The bearing has inner and outer races on which loads are exerted in an axial direction. Floor trusses of the building structure are in engagement at their inner ends with a rotatable bearing supported collar. The outer ends of the radially extending floor trusses are in supported, pinned engagement with tensionrods in likewise pinned engagement at their upper ends with rigid rooft russes. Uneven live loads imparted to the structure are transmitted to the rigid roof truss structure which ultimately translates such applied loads into axially directed loads on the bearing assembly. Accordingly, the bearing arrangement receives axially directed loads well within the bearings capability without the bearing being subjected to deforming radial loads.

An opposedto conventional rotating structures whichv are supported on a cen tralj'stationary support,

the; present structure includes a rotatable core within which inay be housed an elevator or stairwell which is at all times desirably in fixed relationship to the inhabitable portion of the rotating structure. Accordingly, the provision of electrical and fluid conduits to the structure is simplified. I

Present objectives include a building structure which impbrtantly provides for a rotatable living. structure which dispenses with the stationary'core and the undesirable features inherent'in a building structure having bothrotatable and fixed portions; a building structure whichimportarit'ly translates asymmetrical live loads into axial loads on a bearing assembly having inner and outer 'racesj the provision of a building structure wherein live floor loadsa're partially borne by a rigid roof structure; the provision of a building structure wherein floor and roof structures are interconnected by load carrying members attached to said structures in a manner largely avoiding the uneven radial loading of a floor supporting collar; the provision of a rotatable building structure including a collar of rigid construction to resist deformation from asymmetrical live loads on said structure; the provision of a rotatable building structure wherein a door opening into the living area of the building is in fixed relationship with said area.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings,

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a rotatable building structure embodying the 'present invention with fragments broken away for purposes of illustration,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detailed view of that structure encircled as at 2 in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detailed view of that structure encircled as at 3 in FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is an enlarged elevational view of the building structure core of FIG. 1 with fragments broken away and said core being'sectioned for illustrative purposes,

FIG. 5 is a vertical section taken along line 55 of FIG. 4 and showing bearingdetails and associated structure,

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4 disclosing a modified form of floor trussbearing arrangement, and

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectiontaken along line 77 of FIG. 6 showing bearing details and associated structure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED 7 EMBODIMENTS With continuing attention to the accompanying drawings wherein applied reference numerals indicates parts similarly identified in the following description, the reference numeral indicates generally a rotatable building structure supported above a stationary base generally indicated at 2 and including multiple leg structures 3 of fabricated steel components in place upon a concrete foundation 4. Foundation 4 includes an open area 4A which may serve as a storage area as in the manner of a basement.

Leg structures 3 are outwardly spaced about a cylindrical access housing 5 which is a part of and rotates with building structure 1 as later explained. A multiple services coupling at 6, serving the living structure 1 with the usual water and power services, is the subject of a separate copending US. patent application and is served by stationary and rotatable conduit means at 7 and 8. Coupling 6 is located about the projected rotational axis of structure 1.

Leg 3 comprises gantrylike columns having inwardly directed upper portions supporting a rigid collar structure 9 of the stationary base. Collar structure 9 comprises both plate and beam components assembled to I provide a highly rigidstructure able to withstand loads a ring 12 is carried which in turn mounts a stationary inner bearing race 13. Accordingly, stationary bearing race 13 is supported by collar structure 9 which serves to secure the race against distortion from asymmetrical loads. A rotatable outer bearing race at 15 travels about race 13 by reason of ball elements 16 therebctween with the bearing races and ball elements constituting bearing means. Bolt assemblies at 17 and 18 attach their respective inner and outer races to associated ring members. A rotatable ring at 20 may include webs at 21 for added strength.

The following description pertains essentially to the rotatable building structure rotatable with and supported by outer bearing race 15. Superimposed on outer race 15 is ring 20 which serves to support a rigid collar 22 which is of walled construction for purposes of strength. Collar 22 and ring 20 are part of a central core structure which serves, as later explained, to transmit thrust loads primarily to the bearing races while avoiding undesired radially directed loads. In a second form of the invention the central core structure dispenses with collar 22 to permit locating of the truss ends closer to bearing race 15.

With attention to FIG. 4, it will be seen that collar 22 supports about its upper periphery the circumferentially spaced inner ends of floor trusses indicated generally at 23. Specifically, the upper chord 24 of each floor truss is suitably attached as at 25 to collar 22. Such attachment is accomplished in one suitable form by a bolt and bracket arrangement with other attachment arrangements being readily apparent. Desirably, floor trusses 23 are fabricated from relatively lightweight, high tensile steel tubing of open web design.

With attention now to FIG. 3 wherein a fragment of a typical floor truss 23 is shown, suspension of the outer end of each floor truss is provided by a tension rod 26 in attachment at its upper end (FIG. 2) with the later described roof structure. The outer end segments of each floor truss are in pinned attachment as at 27 with their respective tension rods 26 for the transfer of floor loads from floor surface FL to the roof structure. The upper end of each tension rod 26 is likewise in pinned securement at 29 with the lower chord 28 of a radially disposed roof truss indicated generally at 30. A ceiling is indicated at CL. The roof trusses 30 are of lightweight steel tubing with outwardly converging upper and lower chords. Obviously other truss designs are equally adaptable to the present building. The lower chords 28 terminate inwardly in securement to a star shaped arrangement of radiating structural members at 32 atop an upright core structure indicated generally at 34. Upper truss chords 31 terminate inwardly in attachment to a circular connector plate 33 also a component of said core structure. Accordingly, roof trusses 30 are part of a rigid roof structure not susceptible to load deflection and entirely capable of supporting both dead and live floor loads transmitted by tension rods 26. Downward loads imparted to the roof structure by tension rods 26 are ultimately transferred to central core structure 34 and specifically vertical and inclined struts at 35 and 36 interconnecting circular plate 33 and radiating members 32.

The central core structure 34 of the building additionally includes a circular wall structure 38 reinforced by circumferentially spaced upright members 39 which rest on and are secured at their lower ends to collar 22. Accordingly loads, symetrical or otherwise, applied to the roof and to core structure 34 are imparted in an axial direction (relative to structure 34) to collar 22 which in turn imparts said loads to rotatable outer bearing race 15.

The pinned tension rods 26 serve to support the outer portions of each floor truss with floor loading occurring in the area adjacent the outer peripheral areas of the floor being borne primarily by the rigid roof structure via tension rods 26. Distorting radial loads to the collar 22, ring 20 and bearing race 15 are, importantly, avoided.

Access housing 5 is of cylindrical configuration suspended from core structure 34 and particularly from radiating structural members 32. An entry way is by way of a door D1 with the housing serving to fully enclose an elevator or stairway leading to a door opening D2 to the living area of the building. Doorway D2 is at all times in a fixed relationship to the living area thereby avoiding any orientation problem of those entering the building. Additionally within access housing 5, in a lengthwise extending, partitioned off compartment 5A, are the water and electrical conduits routed upwardly from the services coupling 6. As housing 5 rotates with the building structure no sliding or swivel connections need be made between the upper ends of the conduits in compartment 5A'and their associated conduits in the building. As aforesaid, the interface between moving and stationary conduit segments are all within coupling 6.

With attention to FIGS. 6 and 7 wherein the same general bearing arrangement is utilized with prime reference numerals being applied to parts corresponding to those of the first described building structure, the floor trusses at 23' are in a plane common to the later described bearing means. While the earlier disclosed bearing components were offset downwardly from the floor trusses, the present bearing arrangement is coplanar with the floor trusses for the purpose of further minimizing radial loading of the bearing components by attaching the truss chords 24' in proximity of the bearing means. A further change from the earlier described stationary structure is found within the collar structure 9'. Said stationary collar is supported by a fabricated leg structure 3 and is annularly shaped having top and bottom walls 40 and 41 and inner and outer walls 42 and 43. A common objective with the earlier collar disclosure is to provide a rigid support for a stationary bearing race reinforcing same against applied loads.

A further change from the first described bearing arrangement is apparent upon attention to FIG. 7. A stationary inner bearing race 44 is adjustably supported by spacers 45, which may be machined or shimmed, through which bolt assemblies 46 pass. Race 44 is accordingly secured to wall 40 of collar structure 9' in a rigid manner with leveling of the race permitted by the use of spacer elements 45. Similarly an outer rotatable bearing race 47 is adjustably mounted by spacer elements 49 and bolt assemblies 50 to an annular plate 48 of core structure 34'. Bolt assemblies 50 pass through the spacer elements.

Cylindrical access housing 5' is suspended from core structure 34' by bolt assemblies 51 which pass downwardly through annular plate 48, an elastomeric ring 52 and through a flange 53 which extends exteriorly about housing 5'. Said housing is bolted as at 54 to the flange. A stiffener plate 55 reinforces the connection. Accordingly access housing 5' is suspended from core structure 34 in a manner assuring the axis of housing 5 and its rotational axis being coaxial to avoid eccentric movement of said housing during rotation.

Common to both forms of the present building structure is the drive means shown in FIG. 7 comprising a motor 57 and gear reduction unit 58 mounted to the inner wall of access housing 5 and powering a pinion 60 enmeshed with an internal ring gear 61 the latter integral with stationary bearing race 44. An opening 62 in the core structure wall 5' receives pinion 60 for travel of same about the ring gear thereby imparting rotation to the core 5' and the remaining portion of the rotatable building. An opening 38A in circular wall 38 corresponds to door opening D2 in access housing 5.

While 1 have shown but a few embodiments of the invention it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied still otherwise without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is desired to be secured under a Letters Patent is:

l. A rotatable building structure'supported by a stationary base including rigid support means, said building comprising in combination,

a floor structure including radially disposed trusses,

a roof structure including radially disposed trusses,

tension rods extending intermediate said floor and roof structures interconnecting outer end segments of the roof and floor trusses, means coupling the tension rod ends to the floor and roof trusses in a manner permitting limited arcuate movement therebetwcen to facilitate the transfer of floor loads to the roof structure,

an upright core structure centrally located within the building structure supporting the inner ends of said floor and roof structures, the inner ends of the floor trusses being supported by said core structure in a manner permitting floor loads to be carried by said tension rods,

bearing means including inner and outer races relative to the rotational axis of the building and cooperatively supporting the rotatable building structure with one of said races associated with said core structure and the inner ends of the radially disposed floor trusses,

said tension rods serving to transfer floor loads to the rigid roof structure whereby the transferred loads will result in downward axial loads on said core structure and said bearing means while subsantially avoiding the undesirable imparting of radial loads to the bearing means by the floor structure, and

an access housing depending from and rotatable with the core structure, said access housing projecting through the bearing races, said access housing permitting vertical ingress and egress from the rotatable building structure.

2. The building structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said access housing additionally serves to carry service conduits.

3. The building structure as claimed in claim 2 additionally including a services coupling disposed below and in axial alignment with said access housing.

4. The building structure as claimed in claim 1 additionally including a stationary ring gear associated with one of said bearing races, a motor mounted within the rotatable access housing, a powered pinion driven by said motor and enmeshed with said ring gear imparting rotation to the building structure.

5. The building structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said upright core structure includes a circular wall structure above said bearing means concentric with the rotational axis of the building structure, said wall structure having a passageway therein for entry into the living area of the structure, said core structure additionally including a framework above said wall structure comprised of vertical and inclined struts serving to support the inner ends of the roof trusses whereby loads imparted to said trusses are translated into loads exerted along vectors oriented lengthwise of the core structure ultimately resulting in axially directed loads on said bearing means.

6. The building structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein the floor trusses include upper and lower chords, an annular plate of the core structure serving to mount the innermost ends of the upper chords of the floor trusses and the outer bearing race.

7. The building structure as claimed in claim 6 wherein said access housing is supported by said annular plate, resilient means interposed between said access housing and said plate to permit slight relative movement therebetwcen during rotation of the housing to assure coaxial rotation of the housing with the rotational axis of the building structure.

8. The building structure as claimed in claim 7 wherein series of interchangeable spacer elements are disposed about the bearing races, said elements being replaceable by elements of differing vertical dimensions to permit leveling of the rotational building structure for purposes of true coaxial rotation of the access housing with the remaining portion of the building structure. 

1. A rotatable building structure supported by a stationary base including rigid support means, said building comprising in combination, a floor structure including radially disposed trusses, a roof structure including radially disposed trusses, tension rods extending intermediate said floor and roof structures interconnecting outer end segments of the roof and floor trusses, means coupling the tension rod ends to the floor and roof trusses in a manner permitting limited arcuate movement therebetween to facilitate the transfer of floor loads to the roof structure, an upright core structure centrally located within the building structure supporting the inner ends of said floor and roof structures, the inner ends of the floor trusses being supported by said core structure in a manner permitting floor loads to be carried by said tension rods, bearing means including inner and outer races relative to the rotational axis of the building and cooperatively supporting the rotatable building structure with one of said races associated with said core structure and the inner ends of the radially disposed floor trusses, said tension rods serving to transfer floor loads to the rigid roof structure whereby the transferred loads will result in downward axial loads on said core structure and said bearing means while subsantially avoiding the undesirable imparting of radial loads to the bearing means by the floor structure, and an access housing depending from and rotatable with the core structure, said access housing projecting through the bearing races, said access housing permitting vertical ingress and egress from the rotatable building structure.
 2. The building structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said access housing additionally serves to carry service conduits.
 3. The building structure as claimed in claim 2 additionally including a services coupling disposed below and in axial alignment with said access housing.
 4. The building structure as claimed in claim 1 additionally including a stationary ring gear associated with one of said bearing races, a motor mounted within the rotatable access housing, a powered pinion driven by said motor and enmeshed with said ring gear imparting rotation to the building structure.
 5. The building structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said upright core structure includes a circular wall structure above said bearing means concentric with the rotational axis of the building structure, said wall structure having a passageway therein for entry into the living area of the structure, said core structure additionally including a framework above said wall structure comprised of vertical and inclined struts serving to support the inner ends of the roof trusses whereby loads imparted to said trusses are translated into loads exerted along vectors oriented lengthwise of the core structure ultimately resulting in axially directed loads on said bearing means.
 6. The building structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein the floor trusses include upper and lower chords, an annular plate of the core structure serving to mount the innermost ends of the upper chords of the floor trusses and the outer bearing race.
 7. The building structure as claimed in claim 6 wherein said access housing is supported by said annular plate, resilient means interposed between said access housing and said plate to permit slight relative movement therebetween during rotation of the housing to assure coaxial rotation of the housing with the rotational axis of the building structure.
 8. The building structure as claimed in claim 7 wherein series of interchangeable spacer elements are disposed about the bearing races, said elements being replaceable by elements of differing vertical dimensions to permit leveling of the rotational building structure for purposes of true coaxial rotation of the access Housing with the remaining portion of the building structure. 